Laserfiche WebLink
<br />. <br /> <br />- 2 - <br /> <br />. <br /> <br /> <br />The necessity for a salinity control program has resulted in a <br /> <br />February 1972 report. by the Bureau of Reclamation in which a 10-year <br /> <br />N <br />C.,J <br />C) <br />o <br /> <br />water quality improvement program for the Colorado River has been <br /> <br />outlined. This program was endorsed by the 10 conferees at the <br /> <br />Seventh EPA Enforcement Conference in Denver, Colorado, on April 26 <br /> <br />and 27 as the basis for future salinity control on the river. This <br /> <br />report outlines a 10-year investigation program of approximately $18 <br /> <br />million. The construction program which is envisioned is estimated to <br /> <br />cost somewhere between $400 and $500 million. The objective of the <br /> <br />program is to maintain salinity in the lower reaches of the Colorado <br /> <br />River at or below its present level while the Upper Basin States <br /> <br />continue to develop their compact apportioned water. <br /> <br />The report outlines three major salinity contributing factors. These <br /> <br />are (1) point sources, (2) diffuse sources, and (3) irrigation sources. <br /> <br />It is estimated that the 'control program can reduce the contribution of <br /> <br />salts from these sources by 165 parts per million in the lower reaches <br /> <br />of the Colorado River. However, this level of control is inadequate <br /> <br />to meet the objectives of the report which envisions a reduction of <br /> <br />somewhere in the neighborhood of 400 parts per million or an actual <br /> <br />removal of approximately 3 million tons of salt from the river. <br /> <br />Therefore, in order to accomplish the objective of the program it is <br /> <br />necessary to carry out certain allied programs in conjunction with the <br /> <br />long-range program of control of the three major contributing salinity <br />